With sophomore guard Anthony Hickey indefinitely suspended, the LSU Tigers needed someone to step up and fill the point guard role against Chattanooga on Tuesday; and that help came in the form of Andre Stringer and Corban Collins.
“It was a good opportunity for me to take control of the team,” said Stringer, who finished with 18 points, 4 assists and 3 steals.
“Coach told me to just come in, be calm, just play my game, (and) make sure to get everybody involved,” said Collins, who also added 11 points and 3 assists.
“I thought both of those guys managed the game extremely well,” head coach Johnny Jones said of the combo. “I thought they also played well together at times and played off of each other.”
Regarding Hickey, his teammates may miss him, but their play on the court may not, as evidenced by the team’s 12 steals in their 80-67 win over the Mocs (2-7).
“It was definitely hard, you know (Hickey) gives us a lot of great things offensively and defensively,” starting forward Johnny O’Bryant said. “But (Stringer) stepped in, did a great job filling in his role. We just tried to keep pushing. We wish we had him on the floor, but we’re gonna stay focused, keep going.”
Now that LSU’s had the chance to figure out their point guard rotation without Anthony Hickey, they’ll have to take it against one opponent that they haven’t faced all season: The road.
“This early part of the season has helped us,” said Jones of his team’s undefeated start during their 6 game home stand. “It’s given us some confidence to go out on the road and now we’ve just gotta take that next step of that journey.”
“(It) gives us a confidence builder going into somebody else’s territory,” Stringer said. “It’s very important we stay focused this day or two we have before we go down there and compete like we always do.”
After LSU’s first 6-0 start since winning the SEC in 2009, O’Bryant wants to prove the doubters wrong, starting with this Friday’s game against Boise State.
“Guys doubt us so much, call us small, you know this and that, but we’re a very tough team (We’ve) got a lot of depth, people don’t know. We’re a very confident team, confident in each other because we work hard, just as much as any other team.”
The Tigers take on Boise State in Idaho this Friday at 8 p.m.
